Recorded
only in the
RAF Davidstow Moor Operations Record Book and Dennis Burke’s
excellent website on foreign aircraft landings in the Irish Republic.
This Wellington Mk X was returning from an anti-submarine patrol over
the Bay of Biscay on July 17th 1943 when it ran out of fuel. The crew baled out and landed
safely in Wexford and the aircraft crashed near Ballickmoyler, Co Laois.
An SOS was picked up at 00.01hrs and three aircraft were sent out to
look for it but found no trace as they did not violate Irish neutrality
by searching over the Republic. All three aircraft were forced to
abandon the search because of bad visibility.

This image
(Google Street View) gives us an approximation of where the plane
crashed. Thanks to Peter Heary on Facebook for his
help.

It was as I assumed a British Wellington
bomber of the
304th Polish Squadron, the crew bailed out over
Wexford and
the aircraft crash near Ballickmoyler. This happened on July 17th 1943,
which would explain the 1942 dated .303 ammunition rounds.

I have since found out from my cousin Pat
Brennan who remembers the crash in 1943.

This is what she said:

"Something happened with plane about that
time. People were talking in hushed tones in front of us kids. People
took mementoes from the wreckage. But I think it happened towards
Ovingtons (Hovingtons), past Coolrain towards Carlow. Nobody ever talked about it
afterwards".